DEP
AND DHSS TO CONDUCT COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT SWEEP OF
OCEAN COUNTY MEDICAL WASTE GENERATORS IN SPRING 2004

(04/33) TRENTON - In a
multi-county effort, the Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) and the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS)
will conduct countywide compliance inspections of regulated
medical waste generators in Ocean County this spring to
ensure that medical waste is properly disposed of and the
public is protected from the potential hazards of discarded
needles, syringes and other medical waste.

Prior to conducting inspections, the DEP
and DHSS will meet and work cooperatively with business
representatives to help regulated entities comply with environmental
laws.

"Assuring the cleanliness and safety
of our shores is critical to maintaining a vibrant tourist
economy," said DEP Commissioner Campbell. "Shore
communities have an important stake in sorting, collecting
and disposing of medical waste. We will work closely with
shore communities and business owners to help them understand
and maintain compliance with medical waste requirements,
and then the onus will be on medical waste generators to
demonstrate that their practices do not threaten environmental
and public health standards. "

Health and Senior Services Commissioner
Clifton R. Lacy, M.D. stressed that the state does not have
direct evidence that shows that medical waste is being improperly
disposed in shore communities. "However, because medical
waste can represent a potential health hazard, it is important
that a high level of compliance with the medical waste requirements
be maintained.''

The DEP and DHSS will conduct the medical
waste sweep in two phases. The first phase, known as the
Compliance Sweep, will begin this month and will focus on
providing outreach and assistance to known and potentially
regulated individuals, businesses and government operations.
The second phase, known as the Enforcement Sweep, will involve
a large-scale inspection effort. Both phases will be led
by DEP in partnership with the DHSS.

DEP and DHSS will address non-compliance
found during the Enforcement Sweep by issuing Notices of
Violation and penalties where appropriate. The Enforcement
Sweep will take place over the course of at least one full
week beginning this month. DEP and DHSS regulate the handling,
storage and disposal of medical waste in order to comply
with the Comprehensive Regulated Medical Waste Management
Act, which was enacted by the state of New Jersey in March
of 1989.

In a related matter, the DHSS also reminds
individuals who generate needles, syringes and other medical
waste at home of practical guidelines to dispose of these
items safety. They can be found at DHSS' website at www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/phss/syringe.pdf.